A staircase is a set of stairs, usually with a handrail, that connects one floor of a building to another. It can be straight, curved, or spiral.
From “stair” + “case,” where “case” comes from an older sense meaning “frame” or “enclosure.” It originally referred to the structure or shaft that holds the stairs.
A staircase isn’t just the steps; it’s the whole built path between levels, often with walls or railings that ‘case’ them in. That’s why a grand staircase can feel like architecture and theater at the same time—a built stage for going up and down.
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